Blurb:There are always two sides to a story. Can love withstand the ultimate temptation?

A new Regime has arisen from the havoc and destruction of World War III.Society now has to follow the strict mandates, reign under the dictatorship of His Highest Eminence or suffer the consequences.Tobias and Kincade are part of a cryptic organization that’s trying to uncover the secrets behind the Regime. Something is suspicious with the new world order—why else would they want to control the most powerful emotion of love? With mandatory arranged marriages at the age of twenty-one, the only way to fight for love is through the Temptation Trials—a government-sponsored reality TV show.Kincade and Tobias know the rules, but after they meet the women of their dreams, they face a difficult decision. With their impending birthdays around the corner, the guys have to decide if they will bend to the Regime’s will or fight for their relationships.Lust, mistaken for love, will lead down a treacherous path. They soon learn that the spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak.Can love redeem them or is lust too tempting?

​Chapter 9 (Excerpt #5)* * * Tobias * * *

The television in the commons area of the Op hummed the classical music that announced Channel 1, the station that broadcasted the most information for the Regime.Evan, Susan, and I rushed in to see what the fuss was about. A few others came in as well. Rafi and Eric were already in there. “Something must have happened. This is an unscheduled broadcast,” Rafi informed us.On screen, top anchorwoman Wendy Berry wore a fine pin-striped pants suit. Her co-anchorman, Pablo Rodriguez, sat beside her. Wendy jumped right down to business. “Good afternoon, United Origins. We have an important update. I have unfortunate news about the governor’s daughter, Cindy Johansson.”“Ah, shit,” Rafi exclaimed.My thoughts exactly.“Cindy was involved in a robbery on her way home and she was killed,” Wendy continued.Susan covered her hand over her mouth. “That’s horrible.”On screen, Pablo shifted his weight, then he balled his fists. Scrunching my nose, I said, “Something feels off about this. The crime rate is low with the cruel punishments for breaking the law. A robbery seems unlikely.”“I gotta agree,” Eric jumped in. “I don’t think it’s as simple as Cindy being at the wrong place at the wrong time.”“It’s tragic. Cindy will be missed,” Wendy added. “The person responsible for her death is being apprehended.”Pablo narrowed his eyes at Wendy. “Why is he looking at her like that?” asked Rafi.I was wondering the same thing myself.“This isn’t right,” Pablo murmured.“Excuse me?” Wendy raised her eyebrow.Pablo turned to her. “We’re supposed to report the facts.”Wendy’s eyes dilated. “We are.”“No, you’re twisting the facts.”“I beg your pardon?” Wendy sneered.“What the hell’s going on?” Rafi chimed in. “Pablo is calling her out—his own co-anchor!”“Pipe down, Rafi, so we can hear,” Eric told him.“Pablo, I’m not sure what you’re referring to.” Wendy stood firm. “This is the information that we’ve been given.”That’s when Pablo got bold. I respected him, though. “We both know Cindy wasn’t murdered in a robbery. She was devastated that she didn’t get accepted onto the Temptation Trials show, her only chance to fight for love. Cindy was depressed about her arranged marriage, so she committed suicide.”A low humming grew very loud, and what happened within the next few seconds was hard to make out. Pablo’s head smacked against the table in front of him, and then he flew backward, disappearing from the set. The humming sound was blaring now, and the station went black.

Our gang was silent for a moment, dazed by what had just gone down, and then Rafi yelled, “Holy shit! Did you guys see that?”“It was so fast, I’m not sure what I saw,” Evan said.“This is awful,” Susan added, placing her palm against her forehead.“It seems Pablo wanted to be truthful and got yanked off the set for doing so,” I sighed. “Let’s pull up a replay of it to find out more.”“That’s a good idea,” my Uncle Marcus agreed, just coming into the commons area.My crew and I rushed into the IT room to review the footage. With our high-tech equipment we could slow down and enhance in great detail what happened in the blur of seconds. I prompted in the instructions on the computer. Everyone waited in anticipation for it to load.“All right, let’s see exactly what occurred.” I hit play.In slow motion, an enforcer ran in and slammed Pablo’s head against the podium. He had no time to recover before the official yanked him backward by his hair, off the set.Evan whistled, and Rafi exclaimed, “I can’t fucking believe this!”“This is bad.” I put my two cents in.“How can the Regime cover this up?” asked Susan.“I’m sure they’ll find a way,” Marcus replied. “I’m going to reach out to the other branches to see what I can find out. They will probably want me to put a team together to investigate further. I’ll keep you guys posted.” Marcus spun on his heels.“Evan, pull up station 1 on a monitor in here. I’m going to probe this footage more—see if anything else comes up,” I told him.The gang tossed back and forth about the outcome. Going over the footage in more detail, I didn’t come across anything else new—except that I guaranteed Pablo had a broken nose with the force of the blow he’d taken.“Do you guys understand that Cindy committed suicide because she was going to be forced to marry someone that she didn’t love?” Susan asked.“It’s very sad,” I replied. “Even worse, they are trying to pretend that Cindy was robbed and murdered—all so society doesn’t question how fucked up their arranged marriage system is.”“Someone with her prestige killing herself over the matter would cause massive riots,” Alice chimed in. “It would read as: ‘people are so unhappy about the Regime’s marriage law that it’s driving them to take their own lives.’”“Yeah, her being the governor’s daughter would stir a ruckus, so they’re desperate to cover it up,” Evan added.“They’ll do anything to prove that their world order works best.” Rafi’s brow knitted. “I will bet money that Wendy will return and just pretend like nothing happened.”“I’ll bet you fifty bucks that she makes up a crazy excuse for Pablo,” Evan countered.“You’re on,” Rafi said. “What’s your wager, Tim?”“Twenty on her acting like nothing happened.”“What about you, Susan?” Rafi smiled at her.“I am too upset about this craziness to joke about it.”“I’m not thrilled, either,” Rafi replied. “I’m just trying to lighten the mood. What about you, Tobias?”“I’m not betting, either. The chick just offed herself. But I think Wendy will make up a cover story—not just act like Pablo was never there.”Other members in the room put their wagers in or just voiced their opinions as Channel 1 buzzed back to life.

Wendy showed her pretty face on screen. “Good afternoon, United Origins. Sorry for the brief interruption. Mr. Pablo Rodriguez seems to have suffered a stroke. He’s getting medical attention.”“Really?” Rafi commented. “They expect us to buy into that?”“Due to his unfortunate condition, Pablo was confused, babbling nonsense regarding Cindy Johansson. She was indeed a victim of robbery and her attacker will be prosecuted.”“This is a crock of shit,” I added. “They’re trying to play us for fools, giving us a bullshit excuse. Just as I knew they would.”Wendy flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Governor Johansson will be speaking on the matter soon. Our condolences and prayers go out to their family.”Wendy wore a phoney-sympathetic expression as Channel 1’s theme music came on, signaling the program was going off the air.

In a post-apocalyptic nation where the land of the free is now run under a dictatorship, there is one factor that holds the key to keeping world order—love. The new Regime controls the emotions of the heart. It’s their most vital law. At the age of twenty-one, every citizen is forced into an arranged marriage. The only way to escape the arrangement is to enter the Temptation Trials—a government-sponsored reality TV show where the loyalties of the contestants are tested by Tempters and Temptresses who are impossible to resist.Catalina enters the Trials as a Temptress in hopes that she can win the funds to save her brother. Sahara’s been ridiculed in the eyes of the public. By being a Temptress, she’ll be able to have a fresh start. The Regime promises that if she fulfills her role on the show they will wipe her slate clean.The problem is that the Trials are rigged for failure. In all the prior seasons, love’s rival, lust, has proven to be more powerful. No contestant has ever won the Temptation Trials and be allowed to stay with their chosen partner. Lutheran Eminence, the world’s dictator, has shown that he’s the ultimate matchmaker.As the Temptation Ball approaches, conflict is at an all-time high. Most couples are too hurt by betrayal to reconcile. With the odds stacked against them, Kincade and Tobias try to mend their relationships, hoping that the greater good will prevail.Attempting to uncover the true meaning of love may cost the contestants more than they bargained for—it may cost their souls.You can find Temptation Trials Rebellion on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42650958-temptation-trials-rebellionYou can buy Temptation Trials Rebellion here on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KV47XXK

About the Author

B. Truly has wanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old and is grateful to have accomplished this dream. She has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination. She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She’s addicted to romance and gets a thrill out of action and sci-fi. She writes New Adult and Adult, Romance. Sci-fi, Dystopian, and Paranormal genres.B. Truly likes to explore different elements of sci-fi romance, and create various realms of reality. She also loves creating impossible situations for her characters to grow from and try to overcome.B. Truly has three wonderful children and a husband who defines the person that she is today. She works full-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Houston, Texas.You can find and contact B Truly here:- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BTrulysFantasies/- Twitter:https://twitter.com/BrandyTruly- Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7276631.B_Truly- Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/B-Truly/e/B00FMERBFG/

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of The Tempted Series. Two winners will win each a $10 Amazon gift card and an e-copy of either Temptation Trials Revolution or Temptation Trials Rebellion (winner’s choice). US Only.For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

Blow after blow has tried to knock her down, but Gaia is determined to fight till the end. Now Queen of Ica, the tables have turned. The hunter becomes the hunted as the balance of justice is forced to shift. As her name and actions begin to spread across the kingdoms, she sets out to wage war against the corrupt, and be the voice of the oppressed. Is her will strong enough to withstand? Or will it break?

~ My Review ~

Okay, so the last book I was a bit frustrated about the way it ended. I mean, seriously, nooooo. Luckily for me, I didn't have to wait too long (2 months) before picking up book 2. Much like the first, this was fast paced. I enjoyed switching between the different characters and seeing their point of view and how they fit into this puzzle. We get to be inside some pretty twisted minds but I like knowing their back story and the desperation they feel to push them to the point where they are where they are. Gaia has matured from her experiences and she's going to be one bad a$$ Queen. I loved seeing her growth and you get the sense that she's only going to get stronger for whatever lies ahead.
There were surprises and plenty of action and twists and turns that I started to worry how Jennifer Rayes was going to tie it all up towards the end. Sadly and spoiler alert, there will be a continuation (I hope) to this madness.

​***I received this book in exchange for an honest review. However, these thoughts and opinions are my own. I'm not required to write a positive review.***

About the Author

Jennifer Rayes is a freelance author who enjoys writing on the weekends and evenings. Born in Michigan, she spent the first several years of her life there before moving to Lebanon. After obtaining her Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Dayton, Ohio, she lived in Florida, Italy, Houston, France, Canada, and now resides in Abu Dhabi, with her Great Pyrenees, Koby.
Connect with the Author:http://jenniferrayes.wixsite.com/intricatedeceptionshttps://www.facebook.com/intricateseries/

Megan Malone is the ultimate homebody. When her sister talks her into going on The Leftover, a local version of the TV show Survivor, she isn’t sure she’ll make it past the first vote. Cane Trevino is nursing a broken heart by joining the show as a medic. With time away from his regular job and a dozen contestants to distract him, he hopes he can finally get over the woman he thought was “the one.”

~My Review~

This reminded me of an earlier book I had read but both women in the stories were considerably different. I related more to Megan than the other protagonist. We both have this social awkwardness and aloofness about us. I probably would have gone kicking and screaming into the room or just called timeout and exited the show, however. Anyway, this was such a cute and fast read. If you love any type of reality tv, this one is for you. It's always fun to lump strangers together and see what type of characters emerge in stressed out situations. Much like all reality shows, we have a villain, some backstabbers, one side versus the other. It never lulled in any parts for me and I wonder if it's because I don't enjoy this type of voyeurism on television but reading the thoughts and motivations certainly captured my attention. This is my first book of Brooke's and I can tell you, it won't be the last!

​***I received this book in exchange for an honest review. However, these thoughts and opinions are my own. I'm not required to write a positive review.***

About the Author

Brooke Williams is a former radio announcer/producer and script writer turned freelance writer and author. When Brooke's first daughter was born in 2009 she left her full time radio career to stay home. Eventually, she realized she could fulfill her lifelong desire to write while her daughter napped and she then entered into the freelance writing world. As her business grew, she took on clients from all over the world and began to dabble in fiction writing once again. Brooke has several books on the market including her first novel, "Someone Always Loved You" and the thriller "Beyond the Bars." Her romantic comedies include "Wrong place, Right time" (December 9th 2014 from the Writer's Coffee Shop), "Accept this Dandelion" (feb 2015, Prism Book Group) "Mamarazzi (August 2015, Prism Book Group,) "Dandelions on the Road" (Nov 2015), "After the Final Dandelion (March 2016) and the short story "Backwards Christmas" (Nov 2015, Prism Book Group.) She also has two children's books on the market, "Shower in the Rain" and "Baby Sheep Gets a Haircut." Brooke loves all things writing and currently specializes in clean romantic comedy, though she's written a bit of everything. She looks forward to her next publishing venture with BQB Publishing. Together, they will put out "The Leftover" in June 2017. Brooke has two young daughters, ages 7 and 3, and has been married since 2002.

Peoples' expectations can make you or break you. Aurora Stone knows what it's like to be raised under heavy expectations. From an early age, her parents' laid the law down and she'd never strayed off the path that they had laid before her. She kept every rule they ever gave her and for every rule she broke, she felt immense guilt whilst her little sister made it her life's mission to break the rules.

"Everyone calls me perfect; the perfect daughter, the perfect student, the perfect friend, practically perfect in every way, I might as well be fricking Mary Poppins. I was brought up on a list of rules and I don't remember the last time I broke one..."Don't drink to excess and never get drunk. Don't do drugs, not even just to try it, just don't do it. Don't lie, never cheat on a test. Always be the best, get the best results, be competitive but be generous and gracious. Don't do anything that might put you in danger. Work hard, be selfless. Don't dress inappropriately; only wear skirts that fall below the knee. No piercings and definitely no tattoos. Don't gamble. Do charity work. Go to church, sing in the choir, find yourself a nice Christian boy and settle down, get married, have children, and above all else never ever have sex outside of wedlock. The list of rules seems endless. Aurora decides on a night out with her friends that she wants to break the rules, so when she sees Landon sat at the bar watching her, she makes a split second decision that might just change her life, one broken rule at a time.

When Landon offers to help her break the rules, he doesn't expect her to break his rules too.​Aurora Stone knows what it means to keep the rules. She’s lived with the expectations of the people around her. The only person whose expectations aren’t met? Hers. On the spur of the moment, Aurora decides to break the rules. Only the list seems endless and Aurora is a little overwhelmed by it. When she sees Landon sat at the bar watching her, she makes a split second decision that might just change her life, one broken rule at a time. The list of broken rules quickly exceeds the number of rules they keep as they embark on this whirl wind adventure of control and chaos.

~My Review ~

This was a steamy romance about the good girl and bad boy that's been overdone, quite frankly. But Hanleigh wrote it with both protagonist's point of view and we were privy to read both thoughts and motivation. Both characters were developed and there was still enough mystery and allure that kept my interest.

***I received this book in exchange for an honest review. However, these thoughts and opinions are my own. I'm not required to write a positive review.***

About the Author

Hanleigh loves books more than nearly anything in the world; whether its reading them or writing them, Hanleigh just can't get enough. She relishes in the way authors can create worlds with the words they put in their books. She loves the way your imagination introduces you to a new world when you read a book. It may well be a world completely foreign to the one you live in. That world is brought to life; inspires you to dream, captivates your imagination, entices your senses.Hanleigh first took to reading as a small child reading Dr Zeus. She then fell in love with romance literature when she first read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; when she first swooned over Mr Darcy. She's read more books than she can count and owns more books than some libraries.Although born in Scotland, she sometimes wishes she could live inside the world that she can create inside her mind, but since that isn't possible she puts pen to paper and shares that world with this world instead. There is something addictive about being able to mould your words into something that causes the reader to fall into your mind. When you put pen to paper and create a world, it's exhilarating. Every word has meaning. You know every character intimately. You know every secret, every whisper, every smell, every look,; as the author you know the world you created and more so than even the most avid of readers you can get lost in your own creation.

Blurb:Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers features a group of fun, flirty, and emotional friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They’re sassy, flawed, and so easy to relate to, you’ll be begging to enter their circle of friends!

Sunsets at Seaside by Addison Cole is the sweet edition of New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster's steamy romance novel Seaside Sunsets. The stories and characters remain the same, and convey all of the passion you expect between two people in love, without any explicit scenes or harsh language.

In SUNSETS at SEASIDE…
Jessica Ayers has lived a sheltered life with little more than cello lessons and practices taking up her day. Now a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she escapes the prim and proper symphony to vacation in the Seaside community in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, to determine if she is living life to the fullest or missing it altogether.

For the first time since developing the second largest search engine in the world, billionaire Jamie Reed is taking the summer off. He plans to work from the Cape and spend time with his elderly grandmother—and falling in love is not in his plans.

From the moment Jamie and Jessica meet, the attraction is white-hot. Once-overly-focused Jamie can think of little else than sweet, smart, and alluring Jessica, and Jessica discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. But when Jamie’s business encounters trouble and his attorney and best friend intervenes, he proves that the brown-haired beauty is too distracting for Jamie. To make matters worse, it appears that Jessica might not be who she says she is, turning Jamie’s life—and his heart—upside down. In a world where personal information is always one click away, Jamie must decide if he should trust his heart or watch the woman he loves walk away.

Excerpt

​“Come on. Come on. Come on.” Fifteen seconds. She clenched her eyes shut and squeezed the phone, as if she could will the win. It was only seven thirty in the morning, and already the sun had blazed a path through the trees. She was hot and frustrated, and after fighting with her orchestra manager for two weeks about taking a hiatus, and her mother for even longer about everything under the sun, she was ready to blow. She’d come to the Cape for a respite from playing in the Boston Symphony Orchestra, hoping to figure out if she was living her life to the fullest, or missing out on it altogether. Finding her father’s baseball autographed by Mickey Mantle was her self-imposed distraction to keep her mind off picking up the cello. She’d never imagined she’d find it a week into her vacation.
She opened her eyes and stared at the phone.Five seconds. Four. Three.
A message flashed on the screen. You have been outbid by another bidder.
“What? No. No, no, no.” She pressed the bid icon, and nothing happened. She pressed it again, and again, her muscles tightening with each attempt. Another message flashed on the screen. Bidding for this item has ended.No!
She stared at the phone, unable to believe she’d been seconds away from winning what she was sure was her father’s baseball and had lost it. She hated phones. She hated eBay. She hated bidding against nonexistent people in tiny little stupid phones. She hated the whole thing so much she turned and hurled the phone over the deck.Wow.That felt really, really good.
“Ouch! What the…” A deep male voice rose up to her.
Jessica crouched and peered between the balusters. Standing on the gravel road just a few feet from her building, in a pair of black running shorts and no shirt, was the nicest butt she’d ever seen, attached to a tanned back that was glistening with sweat and rippled with muscles. Holy moly, they didn’t make orchestra musicians with bodies like that. Not that she’d know, considering that they were always properly covered in black suits and white shirts, but could a body like that even be hidden?
He turned, one hand rubbing his unruly black hair as he looked up at the pitch pine trees.Yeah, you won’t find the culprit there.
His eyes passed by her deck, and she cringed. At least he hadn’t seen her phone, which she spotted a few feet away, where it must have fallen after conking him on the head. His eyes dropped to the ground…and traveled directly to it.
Jessica ducked lower, watching his brows knit together, giving him a brooding, sexy look.Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me.
He looked at the cottages to his left, then to the pool off to his right, and just as Jessica sighed with relief, he crossed the road toward the steps to her apartment. His eyes locked on her. He shaded them with his hand and looked down at the phone, then back up at her, and lifted the phone in the air.
“Is this yours?”
She debated staying there, crouched and peering between the railings like a child playing hide-and-seek, hoping he really couldn’t see her.I’ve been seeked.Darn it!

About the Author

SIGN UP for ADDISON'S Sweet with Heat newsletter. Fun, flirty romance with a dash of heat. www.AddisonCole.com/Newsletter

Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.
Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.
Addison’s books are available in paperback, digital, and audio formats.

Dating-ish, an all new standalone from the USA Today bestselling Knitting in the City romantic comedy series by Penny Reid is available now!

'Dating-ish' can be read as a standalone, is a full length 100k word novel, and is book #6 in the Knitting in the City Series.

There are three things you need to know about Marie Harris:1) She's fed up with online dating,​2) She's so fed up, she's willing to forego the annoyance and consider more creative alternatives, and 3) She knows how to knit.After the most bizarre and irritating first date in the history of humankind, Marie is looking for an alternative to men. With the help of her friends, she quickly identifies a few possibilities:Need a cuddle? Use a professional cuddler. Need affirmation? Get yourself a life coach. Need an orgasm? Try orgasm meditation! Why does she need the hassle of a romantic partner when she can meet all her needs with paid services?But then her irritating date resurfaces. And he's not at all the person she thought he was. And he suggests a different--and crazier--solution to her dilemma . . .As everyone knows (or will soon come to realize), traditional relations between humans are a thing of the past. Robots are our future. And if robots are our future, then why do we need other people at all?

Excerpt

​He was quiet for bit, we both were, and I felt myself relax more and more. His palm took a detour every so often, dutifully skipping my hip and sliding along my side, and then back to my leg. Soon, I was so relaxed I felt drowsy.I felt fingers in my hair, moving the mass away from my neck with treasuring strokes just before Matt nuzzled the back of my neck, causing goosebumps to scatter over my skin.“Mmm.” I smiled. “Hey. Jared said no tickling.” My voice sounded sleepy.“Does this tickle?” Matt asked softly, nuzzling me again. I felt the brush of his lips—not a kiss, a brush—paired with hot breath against the bare skin of my neck and a zing shot straight down my spine, making my toes curl and a sudden hot ache twist in my lower belly.Oh no.I knew that ache. I hadn’t felt it because of another person’s touch in quite a long time. Nevertheless, no one ever forgets that ache.My back arched instinctively, my bottom pressing back against his crotch, and I stiffened. I felt my nipples harden, strain beneath the cotton of my bra. I was now fully awake. No longer drowsy.Nope.Not even a little.Matt stiffened, too. His movements abruptly ceasing.“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” he asked, alarm coating his words, and in the next moment his hand was suspended in the air above me. “Did I touch something I shouldn’t?”I exhaled a short, nervous laugh, gripped by the urge to sit up.“No. No. You didn’t.” I moved to the edge of the bed, righting myself, away from Matt, needing distance. “I’m good.” I gathered a silent breath and released it slowly because my pulse was racing.Crap, Marie. Get a grip. It’s Matt Simmons. Professor Matt. The big kid. Why are you reacting this way?“Did I . . .” These initial words were hesitant, and a moment of silence stretched before he continued, his tone comically teasing as he finished his thought. “Did I arouse you?”I snorted, shaking my head, laughing at his silly tone. Turning at the waist to peer at him over my shoulder, Matt was grinning at me, twisting a make-believe mustache between his thumb and forefinger.But then he stopped.“I did, didn’t I?” he pushed, his hand dropping. He looked pleased, if not a little amazed.I sighed, feeling a smidge embarrassed, and nodded. “Actually, yes. That’s a sensitive spot for most women.”“The back of your neck?” He lifted himself to one elbow, his eyes darting to my neck with keen interest.“My neck in general, actually.” “Huh.” Matt frowned thoughtfully. “Where else?”I pressed my lips together and gave him an incredulous look. “I’m not telling you that.”“Why not?”“Matt.”“What if I needed it for research reasons?”“Matt.”“What if I told you it was part of our questionnaire?” He tossed his legs over the side of the bed and stood, walking around to my side and offering me his hand. “You should give me a schematic of your body with the erogenous zones circled and rated.”“Let me guess, you want them rated on a ten-point scale,” I deadpanned as I accepted his hand, stood, and stepped away to gain some distance and straighten my shirt.He shrugged, crossing his arms, stalking after me. “Or exponential. I was going to say a Likert scale, but a logarithmic scale works, too.”Chuckling, appreciative of his attempt to diffuse my embarrassment and awkwardness with the joke, I realized Matt Simmons wasn’t a bad guy. He might even be a good guy, just a little . . . peculiar.And wants to replace romantic relationships with robots. Best not forget that detail.Yeah, he’d make an interesting friend.“Thanks.” I gave him a small smile.“For what?” His eyes moved between mine.“For the cuddle. Thanks for the cuddle, Matt.”“Anytime, Marie.” He grinned down at me, his eyes dancing as he leaned forward and whispered, “Anytime.”

About the Author

Penny Reid is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. When she’s not immersed in penning smart romances, Penny works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

It’s a mile long and was so much easier to stick to when he was a world away. Now that he’s standing in front of her—body hard and chiseled from a stint in the military, suit cut to perfection, and a smirk she could never resist—remembering all the reasons why just got a whole lot harder.

Ford gets Ellie isn’t his biggest fan. He just doesn’t care.

Standing in front of him, giving him hell, she’s even prettier than he remembered. All he can think about is how she felt in his arms, the taste of her kiss, the sound of her giggle in the middle of the night. He may not know how to win her back, but he does know this: he may have let her go once, but that’s one mistake he won’t make again.

Excerpt

"Are you saying I’m not glamorous?” I tease.
“Your sneakers with paint splattered over them are so, so glamorous, Ellie.”
He laughs, a warm, rich, captivating sound that feels like a balm to so many of my wounds. It doesn’t fix anything, obviously, but it does soothe me somehow.
“You always did have a way with words,” I joke, sighing for dramatic effect.
“You should give me a chance to show you how much better I’ve gotten with words.” He shoots me a smile so sinful I have to look away.
“I bet you have.”
“I’ve gotten better at a lot of things,” he whispers.
He searches my eyes as if he’s asking for permission and in my amped-up state, I’m not thinking clearly … because I smile. It’s a tiny fissure in my persona that he takes full advantage of.
My back suctions against the paint behind it as Ford cages me in. One foot on the outside of each of mine, a hand planted on the wall on both sides of my face. My knees wobble the slightest bit as he leans down and feathers his lips over mine.
They’re as soft as I remember and my eyes flutter closed as my chin angles towards him, wanting more. We move together effortlessly, like there hasn’t been a decade since the last time we kissed.

Joe Whelan was fooled once on the way to the altar, and the Irish doctor isn’t about to be an eejit over a woman again. Especially not one who witnessed his broken-hearted humiliation years ago. He won’t be swayed by the sparks that fly whenever his eyes meet MacKenna’s or distracted by her sweet kisses. The only thing Joe cares about is preventing his sister from making the biggest marital mistake of her life.

MacKenna Jones loves a good wedding—so long as she’s sewing the bride’s gown, not walking down the aisle herself. Falling for Joe Whelan’s sexy bedside manner wasn’t on the cards, neither was a seven-day road trip with him to Las Vegas, the Marriage Capital of the World. When the stakes are so high, will these two gun-shy cynics ever say I Do?

About the Author

​Tracey Alvarez is a USA Today Bestselling Author living in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand). Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy, she has two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.

Fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, she’s the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories she writes. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes—Kiwi men, in other words.

When she’s not writing, thinking about writing, or procrastinating about writing, Tracey can be found with her nose in her e-reader, nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars, or bribing her kids to take over the housework.

GiveawayThere is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Saying I Do. This giveaway ends May 25th.One winner will win a prize pack (over $65 value) which includes:~ Playing For Fun signed paperback (Playing For Fun is Book 6 in the series, and features Mac's cousin Holly)~ Fun NZ theme tote bag~ New Zealand Wild Ferns Pure New Zealand Manuka Honey Rejuvenating Face Pack~ New Zealand Wild Ferns Pure New Zealand Manuka Honey Conditioning Lip Balm~ Alpine Silk Manuka Honey Hand Cream~ Alpine Silk Manuka Honey with Propolis Triple Milled Luxury Soap~ Handcrafted in New Zealand woven Hessian Kete with feathers~ 4 New Zealand Paua Shell Wine Glass Charms~ Author magnet (not pictured)~ Author bookmark (not pictured)Giveaway rules* Prizes are not exchangeable for cash or anything else.* All due care will be made in ensuring the prize arrives at the winner’s address, but the author is unable to refund prize value in any way should it not arrive due to postal disaster.* Entries close on May 25th and winner will receive a direct e-mail from me shortly after – so please ensure Tracy Alvarez’s e-mail address is added to your safe/contacts list. If the author doesn’t receive a reply from the winner in 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below.To qualify for the bonus 5 entries, you'll need to purchase Saying I Do and answer this question in the space provided in the rafflecopter. The question is: What is the last 4-word sentence at the end of Chapter 13?

Pearl AbbottI made a choice.A single lie that changed everything. In that moment, my life stopped spinning out of control. Not because I found my way, but because I hit rock bottom. Hard.Now, I have a second chance. An opportunity to turn my life around and become the woman I’ve been too afraid to embrace. And I’m taking it. I never thought I would meet him. He challenges me, spurs my desire to show the world that one night will not define who I am.Roman EvansWhen the most beautiful blue-eyed blonde I’d ever seen slammed into me, my world was transformed. But the universe played a cruel joke and the woman of my dreams is a constant reminder of my nightmares.I lost someone once. A moment, a single action stole half of who I am. To allow myself to give in to my deepest desires feels like a betrayal and yet I’m drawn to her.So I lie to the world and ignore my heart until it nearly breaks in two and I can’t take it anymore.Live in the past or fight for the future?I made a choice.

About the Author

​Rachel Caid lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons. She is a self-proclaimed coffee addict with no plans of recovery and an avid reader of all types of romance. Her day job is very black and white, so she enjoys being able to lose herself in the colorful world of novels; whether it's reading or writing them.Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Facebook Reader Group

Synopsis

​Maybe a wild ride in a shiny black Mustang convertible, and some mother-daughter bonding is exactly what Dr. Kathryn Bailey needs, when she agrees to a road trip with her mother. Escaping the aftermath of a nasty breakup, and seeking to heal her broken heart, Kathryn has no idea what awaits her in the forested mountains of Elk Horn, WA.

While traveling back to her favorite childhood destination, a run-in with the sexy town sheriff sets Kathryn on an unexpected course; one that may very well change her life, especially after becoming witness to something only spoken of in the hushed voices of local legend.

When a horrific event rocks the sleepy, rural town, only days after her arrival, Kathryn is immediately drawn into a mystical world of sacred legend and folklore. Suddenly, she must question not only her eyes, but her beliefs.

As she comes to terms with these newfound experiences, will she come to know that with love, believing isn’t always seeing?​

Review

We often think of death, and what awaits for us on the other side. Some of us, in the "believers" category, would even venture to say there is wonder, and love, and light, so pure and dazzling in Heaven; and perhaps fiery and anguish in the depths of Hell. We don't know what awaits for us. We just know that death is certain. Life should be treasured and lived, because we are never guaranteed our next breath.

As a doctor, Kathryn knows full well about dealing with the precariousness and preciousness of life. She tries to patch our bodies up as best as she can, hoping and praying with us that we can make it to another year, another milestone that we feel we must cross.......but in the end, our paths won't waver. We may be granted another chance, but it's still there. Death looms over us, watching, waiting and I'm sure, very bored with our bargaining and pleading with a thing that is certain.

And then there's Armel, Death's servant. He is neither here nor there, but serves as a guide to help us get from this side through whatever awaits for us on the other side.

This book felt like a buildup of something grand, and it didn't disappoint as it climaxed to the finish. There is certainly wreckage, and disbelief. Mass confusion and heartbreak. I'm not sure how I can cover all of it in one swoop. But, trust that there is something deeper within these pages that isn't just about a doctor and an quasi-angel of death, or how she escapes from one cheating and wayward heart, and runs into the solid and steady heartbeat of her soulmate. I cried over some parts, especially regarding the relationship of a mother and a daughter. It could be that I am emotional from having to enroll my first child in Kindergarten this week, and seeing that at some point I need to let go of her. I do hope, and pray to have the same crazy relationship with my daughter as we both age as I love the dynamic between Kathryn and her mom, Claire. Those are my hashtag mother/daughter goals.

No, in between a lover's meeting, and hugging it out with mom, Gloria Herrmann takes us on a beautiful walk with Armel, as he 'collects souls.' As scary as that is to lose someone we love, I can only imagine how scared and lonely it will feel when we realize our time on Earth is up. I'm sure it's comforting to imagine that someone that used to be one of us, a man who knew life and death, love and grief; someone who has seen it all through the ages. To have a friend, and not an angel who can't imagine why we cling to life so much when there's so much more waiting for us on the other side.......why we have to bargain so loudly to hang onto all of this much life here.... no, it's easier and comforting for us to imagine a friend will be the one to help us go through this door into the afterlife.

Thank you, Gloria, for taking me on a walk deep in the forest, and reminding me for a moment that life is simple - we live, we love, we die but we just complicate things because that's what we do. But in the end, it won't matter who we were in life, because we all have to go through The Pass Through.

*** sidenote: this is most definitely not a Christian or a clean book, as there is sex in here. But I love the idea that there exists angels and spirits among us. Call it the Catholic in me and the belief in purgatory. Or my Filipino blood that had to read this only during the daytime, because we're a very superstitious bunch, and something about the supernatural gives me the heebee jeeves if read in the dark. Whatever you want to call it, I chose to read this story because I found the blurb intriguing and the idea of Armel, and his goodness, and his sacrifice is haunting; and his interactions with angels, only add more questions to what we don't know. This was a neat take on what we don't know about death, angels, souls, or what the Great Taker (Death), or the Creator (God) looks like. So if you want to read a lovely novel about all of this, pick up this book. If you are disheartened that I choose to read something that wasn't a Christian novel......I hope and pray that it takes more than a novel to sway your beliefs. This was a great read for me.***

About the Author

Gloria Herrmann is a romance author living in beautiful eastern Washington. She is an avid reader and lover of words, and becoming an author has been a dream come true for her. She still pinches herself all the time and wonders how she got so lucky.

Her debut novel, Loving Liam, the first book in The Cloverleaf Series was released in October of 2015, and three more titles from that series were released by Limitless Publishing. Gloria wrote Single in Seattle, a three-book erotic contemporary series that will be released by Totally Bound in 2017. She has several self-published titles, including The Pass Through, which hit #1 in Native American Literature on Amazon.

To find out more about her books and current projects, please visit the links below.